Talking back

Cade is into the talking back already! I thought we had a few years before this was going to happen. Here are some of the things he says now:

"Whatever"
"Don't talk to me like that" - he likes this one when he is getting in trouble
"Stop being bossy"
"You're being too loud"
"No"

He's also gotten ornery with his little brother. Mason does a good job of hollering out when Cade is doing something he doesn't like (like laying on top of him). And it won't be long before Mason can dish it back to Cade. I think I'll have my hands full even more then!!

On another note: Mason said "mamamama" today. I was so excited. Cade said "dadada" first.

Seed Ticks

I have to post this as a memory of Cade's toddlerhood. Although, I don't think it is anything I'll ever forget. Cade got into some seed ticks last night. Lots and lots of them. That was not at all fun. After soaking him in a bleach/water bath, I then had to pick the remaining ones off of him one by one. We've washed all the sheets, the car seats, any clothes he was wearing (and Mike). I do have to say that it is much easier to identify them on the young child who doesn't have hair or freckles/moles. Finding them on DADA was a harder task.

I hope to never have to deal with those ever again. Although, having boys, I'm not going to hold my breath!

First Trip to Dentist

I took Cade to the dentist for the first time Monday. He was such a big boy. He hopped right up in the chair, opened his mouth wide, and let her count his teeth. He also let her polish them. The hygienist kept saying she couldn't believe how good he was. She said that she has 9 and 10 year olds that refuse to open and won't let her do what she needs to do. I told her it could have gone either way. I was so glad he decided to be a good boy! He's growing up so fast.

Mason Milestones

Mason figured out a week ago how to pull up to a stand on Cade's Lightning McQueen chair. It's lower to the ground. In just one week, he figured out how to pull himself up on the ottoman and the couches. Yesterday, I was in the kitchen and looked into the family room. Mason was standing in the Lightning McQueen chair holding onto the back. He was so proud of himself! :) I didn't get a picture because I freaked out that he was going to tumble over the sides or fall backwards so I ran in to remove him from the chair.

Mason is definitely more curious than Cade was. Mason goes straight for the stuff he isn't suppose to be into...like the TV and the satellite box. Cade could be deterred towards other stuff and he wouldn't go back. Or maybe it's that I was so protective of Cade that I was right there with him at all times. I've let Mason have more freedom because I just don't have as much time to be right there with him at all times. Maybe that is why the second kids learn how to do stuff earlier....the parents aren't there hampering their dare-devil instincts!

We are working on trying to get Cade to eat "regular" food. By regular I mean, PB&J sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches (which he use to love), etc. It has been a struggle at best. He was sent to his room 3 times yesterday before we could finally get him to eat 3 bites of a PB&J sandwich! I'm hoping to won't always be such a struggle. He's one stubborn kid!

"I'm Big Enough"

Cade is a very picky eater. We can't get him to try stuff. Oh sure, he eats junk....chips, cake. He will eat pudding, yogurt, goldfish or cheezits. I can also get him to eat yogurt covered raisins. However, getting him to eat any meat is a chore. He won't even try stuff. He's never been interested in eating stuff off our plates. He just won't try anything.

Last night for dinner, I made him a plate with goldfish crackers and a little bit of hot dog. I really wanted him to try the hot dog. He wouldn't. I told him it would taste like strawberry shake...he still wouldn't try it. I told him that Coleman eats hot dogs and if he would try it he could get big and strong like Coleman. He told me, "I'm big enough." I guess I can't argue his point. :)

I really think at this point it's a power struggle. He won't eat it because I want him to. I try to be subtle. I just put stuff on his plate thinking he'll at least try it if he thinks it's his idea to do so. But he won't even do that. I'm guessing that Mason will be eating stuff Cade won't soon.

Mason is almost crawling on his hands and knees. He's been army crawling for a month now. He will also put his bottom in the air while on his hands and feet. He's ready to walk. :)

Don't take my thumb out of my mouth!

This morning, I went to check on Cade. He was still sleeping at 7am and that is unusal. I thought I'd kind of let him wake up on his own. Well, DADA comes in to tell him goodbye and gets him up. Cade wasn't quite ready. He's like me...he needs a few minutes to wake up and get in a decent mood. He doesn't really care to be talked to or messed with right away upon waking up. Anyway, I was carrying him in the family room and was talking to him. I was asking him a question and he was sucking his thumb and wasn't talking to me. So I popped his thumb out of his mouth. He then hollered, "Don't take my thumb out of my mouth!" I guess he might be getting too old to suck his thumb..... No, I forget he just talks really well for a 2 year old! :)

He must really be 5!

I think I may have been off somewhere on Cade's actual age. He talks like he's 5. He knows way more than most 2 year olds know. He's pretty much talking like a small adult. And I'm not sure where he gets it. His vocabulary has really exploded just this year. I point to pictures in books we read and he knows what almost everything is.

Yesterday, Mike was putting on a raincoat. Cade looked at him and said "you wearing your raincoat, dada?" We didn't know he even knew what a raincoat was!

Today, he was talking back. This has gotten to be a little bit of an issue with me and him. I told him this morning that he needs an attitude adjustment. He said "yep, I think so." I got a little bit of a chuckle out of that!

He has watched that Cars movie at least 1000 times in the last year. He now can recite every line in the movie. It's funny to hear. And he watches it with just as much enthusiasm as if he was watching it for the first time. I hope he never loses that.

Mason is really close to crawling normally. By normally, I mean on his hands and knees. Because he's been army crawling all over for a little over a week now. He's 24 weeks. He's starting to get on his hands and knees and rocking. He did that last night in the middle of the night in his crib. Much to my dismay, he wanted to do that rather than sleep at 3:30 am! He makes lots of noise but isn't really making any noises that sound like words yet. According to Cade's baby book, Cade was babbling DADA at 5 1/2 months. I guess what Mason lacks in vocals, he's going to make up in movement because Cade wasn't near crawling at 6 months. He was closer to 8 months before he moved anywhere on the floor. But he was talking much sooner.

It will be interesting to see the differences between them as they get older. Cade is strongwilled and stubborn. I wonder if Mason will be more laid back and mellow? I guess we'll see.